Beach Walker (video 2:57) - Theo Jansen’s strutting sculptures achieve astonishingly lifelike movement at Art Basel on Miami Beach.
"The walls between art and engineering exist only in our minds." --Theo Jansen
Theo Jansen is a Dutch artist. In 1990, he began what he is known for today: building large mechanisms out of PVC that are able to move on their own, known only as Strandbeest. His works are a fusion of art and engineering.
PVC tubing - Since 1947 Dutch law has decreed that this strandbeest-yellow-tube be used to conduct electricity cables in houses. So it is very cheap.
leg system - In the middle of each beach animal is a kind of spine, more specifically a crankshaft. The remarkable thing about this spine is that it can rotate. This rotation is converted by 11 small rods into a walking movement.
equipped with their own artificial intelligence, his creations can avoid obstacles by changing course
Beach walker - animation
What's the problem? The Jansen's linkage is a leg mechanism designed by the kinetic sculptor Theo Jansen to simulate a smooth walking motion. Jansen has used his mechanism in a variety of kinetic sculptures which are known as Strandbeests.
Ask - Using just PVC tubing and some connections, how can the Strandbeests be made to "walk" down a beach?
Imagine - What are some of the basic components of the motion of walking? How could this be replicated with a simple mechanical structure? Jansen came up with an ingenious simulation of walking motion using a simple rotary input. He built a model from plywood to illustrate the actions of the components.
Design, Build - Using PVC tubing, Jasen created the huge Strandbeests based on the simple mechanism he devised.
Improve - Jansen has built and displayed many of his Strandbeests. Each is a bit different but relies on the same basic walking structure.
That's engineering
crankshaft
Engineering ideas
rotation, crankshaft
Do It
Challenges for you to work on...
build your own Strandbeest model. Use the information for the leg proportions in the diagram as a guide to build your first model. Then try to improve on that.
Beach Walker (video 2:57) - Theo Jansen’s strutting sculptures achieve astonishingly lifelike movement at Art Basel on Miami Beach.
"The walls between art and engineering exist only in our minds." --Theo Jansen
Theo Jansen is a Dutch artist. In 1990, he began what he is known for today: building large mechanisms out of PVC that are able to move on their own, known only as Strandbeest. His works are a fusion of art and engineering.
What's the problem?
The Jansen's linkage is a leg mechanism designed by the kinetic sculptor Theo Jansen to simulate a smooth walking motion. Jansen has used his mechanism in a variety of kinetic sculptures which are known as Strandbeests.
That's engineering
Engineering ideas
Do It
Challenges for you to work on...
News, updates
Learn more...
..r1 2a